2016. 06 General Plan Update

City of Long Beach

General Plan Update

In preparation for the June 8, 2016 BHCA monthly meeting, we are providing information on the pending important updates to the City’s General Plan. Find out the latest on proposed updates at the meeting. Note: the updates are subject to the Environmental Review process and the Draft Environmental Impact Reports (DEIRs) have not yet been issued. There will be opportunities for public input into the eventual final documents. Keep posted on the BHCA website.

The City’s state-mandated General Plan currently contains 13 elements (see below). Periodically, those elements are updated and the city is in the process of updating the Land Use Element (LUE) – which is considered the heart of the general plan. The following is from the City’s Public Notice/Notice of Preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Report:The LUE serves as a roadmap directing the long-term physical development of the City. The proposed LUE would introduce the concept of “PlaceTypes,” which would replace the current approach of segregating property within the City through traditional land use designations and zoning classifications. The updated LUE would establish primary PlaceTypes that would divide the City into distinct neighborhoods, thus allowing for greater flexibility and a mix of compatible land uses within these areas.

In addition to the LUE, the City is proposing to adopt a new element to the General Plan called the Urban Design Element (UDE). From the Notice: the UDE aims to improve the City’s PlaceTypes by creating great places, improving the urban fabric, public spaces, and defining edges, thoroughfares, and corridors. By improving the urban fabric, the City would allow for new development that would complement the existing historical development while serving as a unique and distinctive feature of the City.